1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technology for issuing a job to a peripheral device such as a printer, a scanner, a copying machine, a facsimile apparatus or an apparatus capable of performing the functions of these devices in composite manner.
2. Related Background Art
In a peripheral device such as a printer, the start of a job and the secrecy assurance of the output result are conventionally controlled by designating a mode in which, after a job is assigned to the peripheral device, the job processing is started in response to a separate start command, or a mode in which, after a job is assigned to the peripheral device, the job processing is started in response to a separate start command including a password.
For example, there is already known an apparatus which, after receiving a password together with print data transmitted from a host apparatus, receives a password entered by the user through the operation panel and starts printing only in case the entered password matches the transmitted password, thereby achieving printing with ensured security.
The aforementioned transmission of the job with password is made possible because a driver software (for controlling the peripheral device), installed in the information processing apparatus (host computer) supports a peripheral device capable of processing a job with password and recognizes in advance, for the above-mentioned device, that a command for processing a job with password can be designated.
Consequently, a driver software not having information on the peripheral devices capable of processing the job with password has been incapable, in transmitting a job to such peripheral device, of providing the user whether such peripheral device has a secret printing function.
Also in a peripheral device such as a printer, the kind of the job assigned thereto can be conventionally designated by designating such mode in a job assignment start command. A job can be assigned with a desired mode in such job assignment start command, because the driver software in advance recognizes and displays the modes processable by such peripheral device.
The recognition by the driver software of the modes processable by the peripheral device is usually achieved, at the installation of such driver software in the external apparatus, by the storage therein of the modes processable by the peripheral device.
However, in recent years, the peripheral device is improved rapidly and has various additional functions. When the peripheral device such additional functions is connected to a network, the user is required to store the functions (modes) processable by such peripheral device in an external apparatus on the network. Such operation is however cumbersome and an additional memory is required in the external apparatus, thereby resulting in an increased cost.